Friday, September 16, 2005

Twenty-Something

Back in Portland after a too sweet trip to my hometown. Mostly too sweet due to my sweet nephew! To see pictures from my trip, click on my Flickr badge.

It's strange to be a single twenty-something. There is a rift in you between a family who loves you and the independent life you now lead. Somehow, it is this in between time in which you are anticipating the next thing to come--whether that be a family of your own, the next career change, the next move, or whatever--and haven't really let go of the things behind--whether that be school, family, an ex, or a hometown. Jamie Cullum describes being a twenty-something in his song appropriately titled "Twenty-Something." The song very adequately describes us.

What exactly am I "supposed" to be doing? Discovering myself, right? Discovering the world? Adding to the gross national product? Putting my hard earned degree to valuable use? Finding a spouse? There is a long, long list that society has for me--just as there was a long list as a high school and then college student and I'm sure there will be for being a thirty-something and a sixty-something. The thing is, I'm not really buying into that list anymore. Somehow the lists are missing truth. They are missing beauty. They miss the essence of what we were created for.

What were we created for? To know God, to love Him and to love people. Jesus said love your God and make disciples. He didn't demand of the Samaritan woman to marry the man she was living with. He didn't tell the healed cripple go get a job now that he could earn his keep. He didn't insist that the rich young man keep climbing the ladder in order to get even more to give to the poor. All he said to these people was give what you have. Thank God, love Him!

Life is about Jesus--knowing him, loving him, following him. That's it! Out of knowing, loving, and following, we make disciples and are ourselves transformed in the image of Christ. I just want Jesus. And as a twenty-something that leaves me just where we all should be--in the midst of a loving God!

2 comments:

Katey said...

Ok, I've been meaning to comment on this for a while now. We obviously went home about the same time, and I'm so glad you enjoyed your trip too! And now, after waiting for days to comment and say something meaningful about this, this is all I got:

Amen Sister! Wierd, wonderful, and new every day- our lives are not what we imagined, but all kinds of entertaining. I'll have to find that song- then maybe I'll have something inspiring to say about the matter.

Unknown said...

Praise God for wierd and wonderful lives!